Monday, August 25, 2008

MAN TENDING THE HAZELNUTS

Among the fascinating sights we saw in Turkey was people at work. Oh, it is so different than we in America are used to. This photo was taken in one of the towns along the Black Sea coast. In this particular town the sidewalks were exceptionally wide, because at the appropriate time of the year hazelnuts were harvested and put on those sidewalks.

The nuts have a tight green husk around them and to avoid mold and disease problems they need to be dried as quickly as possible. To facilitate this, the nuts are spread out on the sidewalks and tended to by men who spend the hot summer days moving and turning the hazelnuts and disposing of the husks as they dry and fall off.

I can't begin to estimate how many feet of sidewalk this man was tending, but it was big enough to make my mouth fall open when our guide explained to us what this fellow's job was. We always think there is a mechanized way of doing everything, and maybe back in 1992 it existed somewhere, but not for this man. I'd guess that it was a job his father and his father's father before him had done and he was simply continuing the family business.

I loved this picture. There is a certain serenity to it that reminds me that although some jobs may look (and be) terribly tedious, the secret to success is just to do it and not fuss about it.

In a talk with my Cousin Nancy a couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I wish I could be more content with things. My husband Jerry doesn't fuss about things that he can't change. He is a good example to me. The Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:11 says, "...for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." But alas, "content" doesn't seem to be in my makeup. But change is! (Obama and I are for change!) When I was working full-time I looked forward to Mondays because it was a change from the activity of the weekend. I looked forward to Fridays for the very same reason. I have always thrived on change.

I guess what all this says is that I could NEVER, EVER tend hazelnuts! But more power to the man in the photo who could.